Toza's Gym Collection
by FanFictionKatie
Summary: This is a story that will be a collection of (unrelated) one shots as submissions to Toza's Gym in the Probending Circuit Forum. They won't go together at all, but they're pretty short so they don't need to be their own story each time. Enjoy I guess, I never know how to write a summary.
1. Earth Disks: Porcupine

**Prompt: Porcupine**

I tie a green ribbon quickly around my waist, and walk with my team into the dimly lit arena. The three of us stand at the doorway as a hooded man announces us.

"For the final Conbending match: The Porcupines versus the KoalaMonkeys!" he says with grandeur, waving us into the large room as the sound of applause reverberates through the space. We step onto the field, and I observe our opponents. Much more intimidating than the wimps who do all that staged "Probending", I'd say. In this underground system, there are practically no rules. It's much more thrilling when you know your life could be on the line, and it's definitely much more entertaining for the audience. We play until one team is rendered unable to bend any longer.

As the announcer counts down from ten, we arrange our stances and prepare to start bending. The other team does the same, locking eye contact with us. Finally the whistle blows and we can begin.

Immediately I bring about fifty thin, stone spikes from the ground, and arrange them along my back and arms so they're at my disposal. My teammates do the same. After all, there's no _rules_ against having all the same element on your team. This strategy has always proved effective for us. After all, we aren't called the porcupines for nothing. This takes all of three seconds, and afterwards we make an advance on our opponents.

They seem to have two waterbenders and a firebender. They haven't moved yet, they all hold defensive stances. I make sure this doesn't have me let my guard down, because I have no idea what they could be doing. Instead I make the first move. I slash on of my "spines" at the firebender, hearing it whistle as it slices through the air. He practically incinerates it with the explosion he releases to hold it back. The heat is almost overwhelming, and I'm forced to take a step back.

But the bright orange fire is doused almost right away, presumably by the waterbenders. Smoke and steam fills the entire room, and I'm blinded. I pause for a moment before closing my eyes and feeling my surroundings. The other team still hasn't moved, from what I can "see". I slide my foot slightly on the ground to send a vibration as a signal to my teammates.

In unison, we release the spikes from our backs and hold them in the air. We know their strategy now, and we can do the same. Instead of attacking again, we form a cage around the other team, tightly packing the spikes so they can't fit through. As the smoke clears, I can see the firbender has his brow furrowed. He starts as if he's going to make another explosion, but he knows he can't if he wants him or his teammates to survive. In the meantime, the waterbenders have begun slicing through the earth with ice. It begins to crumble relatively quickly, but a little time is all we need.

I look to our earthbender on the left. He's the only lavabender of the three of us, but he knows what he's doing. He hardly has to move besides pressing his foot into the ground for the earth beneath the opposing team melts into magma. The three of them pathetically clutch the remaining spikes of their cage, unable to bend. The shrill whistle blows once more, and we've won.

 _A/N: This is a story written for Toza's Gym in the Probending Circuit Forum. As I do more of the prompts from the Gym I'll just add them as chapters to this story since they're so short._

 _Word Count: 575_


	2. Earth Disks: Ramen

**Prompt: Ramen**

Iroh sat up in his bed, rubbing his forehead. Being at sea all the time gave him headaches, and the main thing that cured them was a nice bowl of ramen. He sighed wistfully, wishing he had some. Of course, cuisine like that wasn't very common when you were on a boat for months at a time. Although... an idea came to his mind, and he didn't want to wait a second before putting it into action.

Leaving his poor excuse for a bedroom, Iroh walked down the hallway to the front deck of the ship. There's a ninety percent chance he would find Zuko there staring angrily at the sea. Sure enough, there he was. Ponytail blowing in the wind, he was looking through his scope in hope of a glimpse at the Avatar. Dark circled lined his eyes, and his back was slightly hunched.

"Nephew, you look exhausted. Perhaps we should stop for a nice relaxing afternoon with Pai Sho and, oh, ramen perhaps," Iroh said, resting his hand on Zuko's shoulder. Zuko scowled at him, swatting away his hand.

"You _idiot_! Of course we can't stop! You _know_ that I can't rest until I capture the Avatar and restore my honor!" he snapped. If Iroh had a gold piece for every time he had heard this line, he would be the richest man in the world. But if Zuko wasn't going to be willing, then it was time for plan B. Though it was a bit of a stretch, Iroh would go to great lengths at the moment for his ramen.

Iroh excused himself from the front deck and walked to see the captain. His footsteps echoed through the hall as he made his way up the stairs. "Good afternoon, captain." The captain turned and gave Iroh a warm smile. From the way his fists clenched on his seat when the door handle turned, it was clear he was expecting someone much more cranky than Iroh.

"Good afternoon, Iroh. How are you?" he asked, turning in his seat to face him.

"Oh, it's dreadful. I've had an awful headache, and we must stop for ram-.. medicine!" Iroh did his best to put a pained expression on his face as he said this. If he was being honest, his headache was nearly gone. But once he set his mind to something he wasn't about to give up.

"Of course! I'll change our course, there's a town on the shore just a half an hour away." the captain turned the steering wheel, and Iroh smiled.

"My deepest gratitude goes to you, my friend," he said, and left the room. He decided to enjoy his last few moments before Zuko noticed the course change in his sleeping quarters, fantasizing about the sauce drenched noodles and perfectly round eggs. Soon enough, there was a bang on his door.

"Come in, prince Zuko," Iroh said wearily, preparing himself for Zuko's outburst.

"What is the _meaning of this?_ I did _not_ order the captain to change our course! This had better not be about your Pai Sho!" he roared, forehead going nearly purple.

"My nephew, this is not about Pai Sho," Iroh said honestly. "We have found information of the Avatar in a nearby seaside village." That was a lie but it evened out, right?

"..I-" Zuko struggled to come up with a retort, and Iroh knew he had succeeded. Zuko finally decided to just turn on his heel and slam the door in response. One day those hinges would collapse, Iroh was sure of it.

Not long after, the ship arrived in the town. The crew was overjoyed to finally be at land after almost three weeks at sea. Iroh invited a few of the crew members to join him at the local ramen restaurant, and they graciously accepted.

They went inside and were greeted by a young woman, who led them to a birch wood table by the window. The cool, salty breeze was relaxing as Iroh scanned the menu. His eyes landed on a ramen bowl that fit his fantasies perfectly, and he ordered it straight away. Time couldn't see to pass fast enough as he drummed his fingers on the table while making light conversation with the others.

At long last, the waitress returned with their meals. Iroh's mouth watered as he watched his bowl get set down, and he grabbed his chopsticks immediately. He was midway through devouring his first bite when the captain came into the restaurant in search of him.

"Iroh, what about your medicine?" he asked, watching him leisurely eat a bowl of noodles.

"Oh, this is the perfect medicine," Iroh responded, pulling a chair for the captain to join him. He pushed the thought of Zuko finding out about his lie from his head and enjoyed his first pleasant afternoon in months.

 _Word count: 808_


	3. Earth Disks: Exasperation

**Prompt: Exasperation**

Aang bounded around the small canyon, begging Toph to get up. It was going to be his first day of earthbending training, and air boy wouldn't shut up. She grumbled, smacking her fist into the ground by her so a pillar of rock shot him into the air. This only encouraged Aang, prompting him to ask her how she did that as he examined the chunk of bent earth. She sighed, unable to take his chatter anymore. Standing up and stretching briefly, she grabbed Aang's collar and drug him to a flat space in the rocky area.

"What first, master Toph?" he asked excitedly, rubbing his hands together.

"Don't call me that. Move that rock," she said, pointing to a small boulder a couple of feet away. She gave an example, sliding her foot and twisting her hands so that a large section of the canyon wall slid a few yards. Undoubtedly wearing a giddy expression, (though Toph couldn't quite tell) he replicated her actions. Well, he tried to replicate them. His knees were practically bent inwards, and his feet were hardly spaced correctly. His overall posture was dreadful, and Toph sighed in exasperation. Of course the rock hadn't moved an inch, there was no reason for it to.

"Why didn't it work?" Aang asked, trying again with no better results.

"Because you're doing it wrong, you goat-donkey. Actually watch this time." She did it again, this time returning the wall to it's original position.

"Right. I've got this." At least he did something write this time, bending his knees and having them a bit spread out this time. Not that it did much in comparison to the rest of his sloppy form. The rock still remained stagnant, and Aang sighed.

"Come on, I thought I was the blind one here! Look at my stance compared to yours, knobble knees. Bend your legs deeper, spread out your arms and fingers, and straighten your back." Aang followed her directions as she said them. "Good. But that won't get you anywhere if you don't have the right mindset." She didn't bother explaining what this mindset was, assuming it was obvious.

Apparently it wasn't, since Aang still couldn't manage to move the rock. Her exasperation increased, and she had to bury her forehead into her hands momentarily. How could he seriously not get the most basic of all earthbending practices?

"You know what, maybe we should focus on something easier. Like breathing, I don't know. Go do that."

 _Word count: 415_


End file.
